awashlogs | Event Fourteen.

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Event Fourteen.

Roses bloom and cease to be,
But we shall the Christ-child see.

t's very, very cold. It's cold enough that you'll see your breath fog in the air before you, that goosebumps appear on your arms and legs and a chill goes up your spine. You're inside, in a huge palace with sweeping arches and rooms, but it's no real shelter from the cold -- it's just as cold inside as out.

There's a throne room, a kitchen, various rooms and even a dungeon to be explored -- and outside, a frigid, frozen garden, a lake that's naturally frozen over, and miles, and miles of snow as far as the eye can see.

But be careful while you explore. The snowflake soldiers are naturally dangerous, but even more dangerous than that...there's that creeping sensation of numbness going up your arm, a pang through your chest, and the slow, slow freezing from the inside out.

Try not to leave any of your friends behind, okay? Even if they might look a bit too uncannily like some of the statues hanging around for decoration when they're frozen over.

Welcome to Awash's fourteenth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to make your own logs for this event, but please keep in mind the lack of laptop function during this event when it comes to forum posts!

If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you!

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... ...!

[ She feels as though she should say something. Anything. Her lips move as though she's trying to muster the words, or her voice, but nothing emerges. Even silently.

What does it mean, to have a pure heart? It shouldn't be that only the people with unbroken mirrors can help the others, but that doesn't feel like that's what Damian is telling her. So why is he so certain that she can do something when this whole time, she's only been able to stand there in horror and watch him... freeze? Die? Is he dying?

Oddly enough, she's too frozen (thankfully not literally) and overwhelmed to cry, even with the desperation now creeping into her gaze. It's... too much. He's telling her she can save the others but her mind's still swirling with this story. A kiss. Tears. How is she supposed to tell the others when Damian's always been the one to most easily understand her?

Kisa doesn't look away. Maybe because she's far too afraid to. Or too overwhelmed to. Any variety of reasons, really. ]

[ Maya is instantly slamming both palms over her eyes. Look, she can handle ice knights and people turning into ice sculptures and demons, but a man's unclothed crotch is a little too much for her. ]

I didn't see anything!!

[ She sounds so panicked, though. ]

[ Having only been here for a short amount of time, the least Choubee expects is to wake up in a completely foreign place again. Of course his initial reaction is to be annoyed, but instinct and reason kicks in just as fast once he watches a cloud of air leave his lips -- it's cold. Colder than what he's experienced in the weeks since, coincidentally, destroying his mirror, with violent shivers going down his spine and washing over him with an impact not unlike thousands of needles prickling at his skin, leaving him more than just a little uncomfortable.

But of course it's only with time that he's confronted by an ice knight who immediately points their halberd at him, recognizing him as an intruding enemy. Grimacing at the first swing, he feels his body is sluggish and far too slow in terms of his usual movements, his back hits hard against a nearby wall when the knight manages to strike him with the blunt end of the pole.

Slouching, he only notices that there's another person in the same hallway as him in the corner of his eye. ] Hey! [ His voice is loud and demanding as he points at the closes piece of ice furniture to you -- vase, chair, a dear head bust made out of ice... really, it could be anything. ] Toss that to me!

ii.

[ Of course once he's well-equipped there's just about nothing that stops Choubee from personally crushing each knight he encounters. Certainly, it may appear that he's doing it out of the kindness of his heart when you happen to be cornered by one of the ice knights, but a simple look at the excitement evidently etched into his features makes it clear as day that he's having fun. Even if his body screams with agony as his shard moves closer towards his heart. ]

Just as I thought. [ Proudly, Choubbee holds the halberd he pried off of the hands from the first knight he encountered. ] Nothing's better for killing these bastards than their own weapons.

[ Or maybe he just feels better by doing so.

(It's definitely because he feels better about it.) ]

iii.

[ Even if he does his best to ignore the cold, there's no stopping the shard that steadily makes its way closer to his heart. And with each second that passes the more detached he is from his usual attitude; languid and slow, apathetic to the point that when he's thrown into a dungeon he simply lies on the floor with an exaggerated, tired sigh. Fuck, he can't even remember the last time his body was wasn't compliant with whatever decision he made: whether it be to run or walk.

Choubee hears the cell close, eye slowly losing focus as pieces of frost stick firmly to his hair and across his body. His consciousness screams for him to keep his eyes open, to sit up properly even if it feels as if there's a weight against his chest, and, more importantly, to not die.

It takes him another moment to properly register that he's not alone, back off the ground and hand reaching out to his temporary prison mate, beckoning them over. Not frozen yet, but he will be soon, and what sliver of resolve he has left makes a small appearance in his words: ] Come on, help me up... and I'll get us out. [ His tone, however, is defeated and almost lifeless, as if the confidence had all been physically drained from him. ]

iv.

( wildcard! choubee doesn't have the purest of hearts... and he's definitely not going to cry, so if you want the most aggressive and fleeting cheeks kisses known to man feel free to hmu. aside from that i'm totally open for shenanigans such as snow ball fights, slipping on ice and screaming that i never happened, the works. also feel free to pp me on vongaribaldi! )

[ Wow, it's like she's never seen a sword catch fire like that!!!

Wait.

Nero holds her hands near the flames, although not too close as to avoid any burns. ]

Entranced by my Aestus Estus, are you? I do not blame you. It is a magnificent blade, one that even others will envy. Have no fear! Simply be careful of your surroundings.

[ She is not going to be stabbing little girls anytime soon!! She hopes!! ]

Ah...magecraft is a truly useful sometimes. I did not wish to tread the path of sorcery, but even I must admit it has its uses.

[ Truth is, she probably didn't see much of anything, given how cold it is. However, given that he has just now come to his senses, he cannot for the life of him figure out why he is naked in a hallway with a girl screaming at him.
What did he do? What did she do?

...

He's sufficiently self-aware enough to know that whatever happened, it's probably his fault, therefore: ]

Ah—! I'm s-s-s-s-s-sorry! S-s-sorry!

[ He's still shivering, violently. And trying to figure out how to put his pants back on, except he can't feel his fingers at all. ]

[....Don't be like this...

Shiho presses the trigger as lightly as she can. But even then there's a sheet of flame melting the bars of the prison.]

Too bad I'm the one making the decisions here. Come on.

[ Shiny things...shiny rocks... She briefly knits her eyebrows in confusion, and scans their body. ]

A gem? Like a golem? Mm, no, you have far more sentience than that.

[ The lack of warmth at her side all but confirms that. It's not very far-fetched to think about, really, when one is a Servant and knows all manner of sentient non-humans. ~~Heck, there's even a certain clay Lancer soon to be released in NA...~~ She nods confidently. ]

I see, I see! You are truly a gem, so fine to behold! Phos...phospho...

[ She flusters, just a tad. ]

I-It is a bit of a mouthful...

[She's not really going to do this.

But he doesn't have to know that!]

Don't worry, a fire will warm you right up~ Hang in there~

[ Look, buddy, she tried to stop you, but she absolutely cannot help you put your pants back on without a two-minute mental pep-talk. Sorry. For the time being, Maya cannot be helpful. ]

Can you just-- can you put your pants back on?? Please??

[ She's not ready for this friendship. ]

Hm.... what should it be? Your soul?

[Who knows how she's getting that.]

Or maybe you could just stand on one foot and bark like a dog for me. [Maribelle's voice doesn't sound right though and Shiho is looking very carefully at her from her place by the fire.]

[She's so glad nothing is broken and that's enough for her to sigh in relief.]

I'm fine. Everything's fine. [Well, it hurts but she's pretty sure nothing is too jostled.]

They could stab you through the top. [Which is what she would do if she were a Snowknight that went around stabbing people.]

And when did I ever say I wasn't a regular average human? Though who knows since we lose our colours here all the time. Besides, who goes around doubting people's humanity like that?

[If he’s not dying, it sure feels as if this may be what dying is like. Cold and numb and distant. A little more than hopeless.

He’s not sure why there’s an inkling of concern with her watching him freeze over. He supposes he doesn’t want her to lose determination so easily when she would be fine. Even with the knights. She has the potential to help everyone else suffering with shards, if only she would try.] You can’t be scared. [Despite lacking the usual conviction, he gives the words with logical optimism.]

And you can’t give up. You have... all the... tools... You can tell... the others, too. You aren’t... useless...

[Tipping his chin up is an attempt to keep the ice from climbing his neck, but to no avail. He drops his chin back, and the ice grabs it with its translucent tendrils. His brows pinch. For a moment, he tries to move his arms at the shoulders. The ice crackles away, but leaves behind a sharp, burning sting.

If he’s broken, he’ll be destroyed, he thinks.] Don’t let... the others freeze... Kisa.

[ HE'S TRYING! He's trying. He's try—

...

He's not trying at all. He's lost interest, as his current naked state is making him lose heat even faster, and with the heat goes his mind again. The one thing he is aware of is being really uncomfortable here, so he decides to go find a hole to curl up in.

For some reason he can't walk easily (with his pants around his ankles), so fine. He'll just crawl away. ]

[ ... Ah. Well!! She's very glad for this, but she's still frowning apologetically. Sorry for crashing into you, Shiho. She's sure you didn't deserve it. ]

[ Pyra also has had a shard stuck within her, but she's already experienced its full effects before, from being frozen in place to someone curing her of the spell. As to why she is in the cell, then-- well, for the meantime she has decided to be here willingly. The dungeons of this place is among its coldest areas, and Pyra is a natural heat lamp. ] --Choubee?

[ When he calls for help, of course she is going to rush towards him, taking his outstretched hand. Immediately her expression clouds with worry, for the instant they come into contact Pyra knows that her natural warmth will not help him here.

She does not know what is causing this spell of ice to effect some and not the others, but she is aware that its finale can be devastating. Trapped within a body that will no longer move because of the ice, yet having no will to move regardless of that ice, numb to everything in the world... it is truly a terrible state that she would wish upon no one. And. She does not know how to stop it from taking over him. ]

Choubee, we need to--...get you out of here. [ She'll bring her other hand to cup over his, so that two of hers are holding his one. She's hoping it will bring some extra warmth from him as she tries to hoist him up. The snowflake soldiers-- if they find him in that frozen state, will they shatter him instantly? Is that their ultimate goal? ]

I. Put this lion out of his misery

[ Hibernation was never something he, personally, had to deal with, but hell if he wasn't so ready to find out what that was like more than he was right now. Were it not the for the knights around, and the fact the only way to find a way out of this icy torture trap was to look around, anyway.

To keep warm, though, he's definitely going to find the nearest person and hook his arm with theirs, shivering pathetically with the occasional sniff that might make someone want to put some distance between them and this potential quarantine hazard. ]

II. [beatboxes sadly]

[ Surely, being stuck in the cold would've been enough punishment, and especially so on top of the fact there were people around them clearly afflicted with some kind of magic that was not doing them any favors. But, no, of course not. Why would they be let off that easy? Haha, really, that's just apparently a cake walk. Nah, here's some snow monsters too. Have fun y'all. (Said the town, probably.)

Although, fortunately, there were lots of people who could very easily deal with the knights, so if you happen to be someone who can't, then the sudden hand that ripped through the knight's armor, with pointed claws that twisted against it might've been just a tad alarming. The knight lifted up with the hand now firmly dug into it, and was then viciously flung against the nearest wall with more force than what was probably necessary as it splattered into a useless pile of snow on the ground.

Looking back, you'll find none other than Caramia himself! Though, a bit unlike his normal self. Rather, he's rocking a stupid mullet (thanks Poni-pachet, I hate it), with piercing, cat-like eyes that might've appeared to glow to anyone who didn't know any better.

But above all, he looked worried. ]

Are you alright?

III. A lion with a loose faucet for eyes

[ It wasn't like Caramia experiencing Kyrie's cold nature was something new. He had tendencies to push people away and be cruel without the help of some magic curse. But this was new. There wasn't any snarky bitterness, or sarcastic jabs. It was all just so... empty. It's something he expected out of the heartless tinman, not his bright scarecrow...?

It wasn't easy for him to deal with it. And the fact that he did some not-so-nice things to try and deal with it, too, is probably what lead Caramia to find some isolated hallway to hide away in, with an all too familiar mirror in his hand. After staring blankly at a wall, he'd finally raise it over his head, with a clear intent to send it hurling onto the floor. This is what caused all the problems to begin with, right? It's... this fucking thing's fault, right?

It'll be better. This'll go by much faster. You won't have to deal with being hurt anymore. You don't have to be sad anymore.

...

Alas, Caramia dropped his hand down carefully by his side, quickly shoving aside that train of thought. Had it not been for his pendant, he would have brought the mirror down to break into fragments without any hesitation, but now? He had to be brave. It hurt a lot, and trying to deal with all his emotions when there was just so much happening was awful, but he couldn't let that get the best of him. He was courageous. And sometimes that meant pushing through the hurt.

And that it was okay to be sad about it, too.

Caramia brought a hand up to his face to press a hand against his cheek to stop some of the warm tears that very evidently made their presence known on his cold cheeks. ]

IV. Wildcard!

As always, hmu @ rubiesriot or on Discord @Rubie#6621 if you want to talk about ideas for the event! The first prompt can double as a forehead smooch prompt if you'd like!!

[ If this is a game of chicken, he's not going to lose. Of course, if she's literally trying to smoke him out, it means he's been sussed already, but even so. He's not going to back down. It's a matter of principle. ]

But aren't your hands a part of your form? They'll get all dry and cold and chapped at this rate.

[Shiho even peers at Nero's hands as she says this.]

[She doesn't lower the staff and Shiho isn't going to assume everything is safe just because the stick is no longer glowing. Shooting Lux with her gun on Capture Mode was still an option.]

I'm not following you, we just happen to be walking in the same direction. [This is her story and she's sticking with it.]

And I'm not looking for anyone else. More importantly why are you here by yourself? You'll get carried away by a knight, or something.

...So not prepared at all. That's good to know. [And with that she's giving the hood a tug. Come on, Vriska, they're going back inside. (The white eyes don't register yet. Who is this?? She doesn't know. All she knows is that this is a person making a bad choice.)]

You don't have to look like that. It's fine. Can you stand? [Because Shiho can't, not very well at any rate.]

[ Wow this guy sure did just walk up to her and hook his arm around hers. It's because she is like a natural heat lamp, isn't she? Both literally warm, and glowing!

She's going to try to hide a little smile that betrays her amusement, but honestly? She doesn't mind too much. The guy seems like he could use it. ] ...Maybe instead of finding the exit, we can find you a box of tissues?

[ You can't be scared, he says, as though he hasn't been telling her not to look, to try and protect herself as though he knew all too well that all of this was terrifying.

He's placing so much on her shoulders, and even though Kisa had told him that she'd wanted to be better... right now, she wants to run and hide. Until someone fixes this. Until someone saves all of them and they can go back, and Damian can be his grumpy, embarrassed self. After all... what happens if he's wrong? What if she can't help them?

Jion had told her it was okay to be afraid, to run away or look for help, and she thinks about it, briefly. Damian's clearly telling her to help the others without so much as asking her for help. Does he think it's too late for him? This...

"For those things, you’ll be able to deal with scary things," Jion had also told her, with a warm smile.

It hits her then, so hard that she almost chokes from the realization.

It's not that she can't be scared. She can be scared.

But Damian's also right. She can't give up, and as the ice continues to devour him from the inside out, something flashes in Kisa's eyes and she gently slips her fingers free of his hand.

Only to press both palms against his very icy cheeks, take a deep, bolstering breath, and lean in to kiss him.

If Damian thinks she can help save everyone, then she wants to start with him. ]

[ Yes, she also hopes that doesn't happen! It... still takes a moment to carefully approach, but once she does, she mimics Nero's posture and holds out her palms.

The warmth is definitely a blessing, and her sigh of relief is silent but still very much a thing. ]

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Event Fourteen.

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